To See His Eyes
by AleuFireGoddess
Summary: Chihiro returns to the bathhouse after 5 years. But since her departure, major changes have happened in her friends. How can she reach out to help them? PG-13 for some violence, adult content and language.
1. Returning

Reaching Out  
  
Author: AleuFireGoddess  
  
Summary: Chihiro returns to the spirit bathhouse after 5 years. The only thing she wants is to see her friends again, especially Haku. But some serious changes have been underway since her departure, at the bathhouse and with herself, and things aren't as they were. How will she reach out to the people she loves and get things back to normal? Rated PG-13 for adult language and possibly some adult content as well. Just being careful! No flaming because I am FLAME RETARDANT!! ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or the characters involved nor do I intend to make money off of this story. So don't sue us, cuz we da po' folk!  
  
Chapter: 1, Returning  
  
It had been 5 years since Chihiro Ogino had ever returned to the bathhouse. It had seemed like a far-off place to which she could never return. But she had never stopped thinking about it, even once. She was reminded every morning when she saw the forest passage leading to the tunnel.  
  
Now 15, she had lost many of the memories she had once had when she was 10. But she still remembered Haku's face.. All but his eyes. They were always shadowed in the fading pictures in her mind.  
  
5 years had done much for Chihiro's figure, for now a teen she had a far more curved shape. A beauty to the eyes of the boys at her high school, she was never single. But not one of them met up to the expectations of the boy in her memories.  
  
Her hair was down the middle of her back and darker than before, almost black, and always held up in the hair-tie she had received from her 'Granny,' Zeniiba. Her most attraction feature were her eyes, now honey colored, almost golden. They were sharp as an eagles, as was her body.  
  
She remembered being so weak at aburaya, how she was always the last one to finish. So she had trained in martial arts and was the strongest girl in her school.  
  
She had also recently noticed very interesting developments in the 'abnormality' department. Any fire near her blazed hotter and when angered, things seemed to lack their flame retardant guarantee and set alight.  
  
She thought little of it, for it always felt a little coincidental, yet she never felt uneasy around fire and the occurrences never seemed to bother her.  
  
It was now summer break of her sophomore year, almost three weeks into the pleasant vacation. Her mother Yuuko was out celebrating her 41st birthday with relatives in Kyoto and her father Akio was on a business trip in America.  
  
Alone in the house, she wandered aimlessly from empty room to empty room. She also explored her mind, searching for his eyes. She had to find them. It was driving her INSANE.  
  
"Could it.. Still be there after all this time?" she thought absently. Again the memories came, of all of them. Except.. "His eyes!" she said aloud.  
  
"I have to find his eyes.. Anyway, nothing wrong with a little adventure, eh Sen?" As she spoke, she tied on some running shoes, put on some Capri's that were more 'outside-ish' than pj's and a blue halter.  
  
She stepped hesitantly out of her house, jogging slowly as she contemplated. "Well.. Maybe I shouldn't. I don't have a good feeling about this. But.. I just need to find his eyes!" she said, fighting with her conscience. She continued this mental babbling until she had reached the forest's edge. "You're here now, Chi, so just get on with it. Get this out of your system!" she mumbled.  
  
So with trained feet, she set out along the untamed path, her eyes wide open for any signs of danger. There seemed to be none in the over-grown forest and she let her senses have a break as she let her memories wander.  
  
*flashback* ~There was a span of space, scattered with houses and food booths and a single trickling river. Chihiro stood at the edge of the vast valley between the bathhouse and home. "Will we meet again, Haku?" she asked the Kalaku (sue me later, I forgot how to spell!) River guardian. "Of course, Chihiro! Now go," he responded confidentally. *end*  
  
This incident brought back some faith to what was becoming a 'rain-on-your- parade' type experience. She smiled, picking up speed as she reached the last bend of gravel road and sailed over the statue guarding the tunnel. "Haku.. I'm coming for you!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N: Eck.. A little short, I know. But it came to me in.. a *booming voice* HAKU FANTASY MOMENT!! *cough* Ahem, so.. Yeah, please read and review. Remember, I am FLAME RETARDANT! Even the 'burning powers' of Chihiro can't stop me! ^^v Love and peace, baby! 


	2. Change

Reaching Out  
  
Author: AleuFireGoddess  
  
Summary: Chihiro returns to the spirit bathhouse after 5 years. The only thing she wants is to see her friends again, especially Haku. But some serious changes have been underway since her departure, at the bathhouse and with herself, and things aren't as they were. How will she reach out to the people she loves and get things back to normal? Rated PG-13 for adult language and possibly some adult content as well. Just being careful! No flaming because I am FLAME RETARDANT!! ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or the characters involved nor do I intend to make money off of this story. So don't sue us, cuz we da po' folk!  
  
Chapter: 2 Changes  
  
She smiled, picking up speed as she reached the last bend of gravel road and sailed over the statue guarding the tunnel. "Haku.. I'm coming for you!"  
  
Quick legs flew over the ground like wind and soon all her senses picked up the familiar sensations of aburaya. Yet something in the aura seemed darker, less happy then before. She slowed her pace as she reached the bridge.  
  
It was early, so no one was about, and that didn't bother her. But upon entering the large palace-like building, she was met with complete silence and dry air.  
  
"..Haku? Are you there? Anyone? Yu-baaba..Bou..Rin? It's me, Chihiro!" she called.  
  
Silence met her like a knife. It seemed suspicious, that no one would have heard her. Especially one of those nosey aogaeru, at least. She lifted her golden eyes upward, and she listen carefully. She then heard footsteps and a familiar voice, yet so far away. "Chihiro? My.. Chihiro?!" the voice spoke. "Ahh.. But no. My Chihiro had the purest dark eyes and cedar brown hair.." It said maliciously. "No, take this one away. Seize the human!!"  
  
"Wait, Haku! It is me! It's--" She was stopped mid-sentence as one of the punier frogs pounced her on the stomach. "Miken? (I made it up for him. Special, aren't I?) What are you doing?!" she asked angrily. She felt the fire being brought up within her.  
  
"You are not Miss Ogino! Imposter!" Miken shouted, but she flung him off easily and raced swiftly to the outside stairway.  
  
With ease she sped down the rickety steps leading to the boiler room. "Please let Kamajii remember me! I need some help here!" she thought frantically.  
  
She reached the rusted door, wrenching it open quickly (all it needed was 'one big jerk' ^.~) and slamming it behind her. Her speed had left all of her attackers behind for the meantime, which hopefully gave her a little bit of time to recuperate.  
  
"Kamajii? Little susuwatari? It's.. Chihiro," she spoke into the darkness quietly. Saying her name seemed to have gotten her into trouble before, and she was wary.  
  
"Hmph! About time you return, Chihiro. Much has gone about since your departure. Too much. It might have been best for you not to return," said the boiler man gruffly, though behind a mustache hid a smile.  
  
She hurried up to him, giving him a quick hug. She slipped off her shoes, and the working soot balls scuttled at her feet, leaving their coal behind. She threw some kompeitou and they cheered silently.  
  
"What is going on, Kamajii? I told them of my return and I was attacked!" Chihiro said. "Why would they do that? I mean, Haku told them to do it. Haku!!"  
  
"Ah, but child, you know not of the experience they went through when you left." He took a deep breath, and began the tale.  
  
"Haku left immediately to tell Yu-baaba he knew of his name and also of her secrets, thus making him immune to attack and quite under defense. He forced her to leave the bathhouse, and all was well until about 3 years ago.  
  
"He became quite miserable, for he had been unable to contact you by any means. He was terribly in love with you, child, you know this. In his misery, he became cold with anger and unhappiness. This was passed on the upper-level workers and they are all drones to his army. I live down here with the boilers: immune to all that above-ground non-sense. Anyone who even mentions your name is executed immediately!" He finished pompously.  
  
"But then Kamajii.. wouldn't that mean that.. He would be happy to see me come back?" she asked. This bothered her deeply. Didn't he remember her?  
  
As if on cue, the spider-spirit spoke. "He only remembers you as a 10 year old child, not a young grown women. Forget not that your features have changed. Honey eyes! Ebony hair! Much different."  
  
"But how did you.." she stopped talking. It wasn't worth asking. He just.. Did. "So, how do I get through to them? To him? I wanted to come back.. To see his eyes."  
  
"Well, I would normally suggest a nice crumpet over tea but for now I think- -"  
  
At that moment the door burst open and Miken hopped in to find Chihiro there. "Finally found you, Miss. I do believe you, honestly, but Master Haku refuses to listen. I was almost killed. Instead I was sent to find you and tell you to get off the premises at once or you shall be executed! He wishes to find the true Chihiro, not another imposter. I suggest you leave, Miss."  
  
She looked at the floor, the fire rising high within her. "So, I face execution?" she growled. Miken trembled, but nodded. "Then so be it! Tell Master Haku that I wish to be killed before him than banished from this land" Fires burned at her fingers and she pointed at him.  
  
"Tell him.. Mistress Sen of a Thousand Fires has said this." The confused frog looked absolutely terrified, and she angrily sent him away on a cloud of fire sent straight to Haku.  
  
Kamajii looked quite amazed as well. "Well, Chihiro. Where did that come from? I never knew that you were.. Magically inclined."  
  
She looked up at him with her amber eyes, the fire inside of her dying down. "I..don't know anymore, Kamajii. I can't even control it at all!" She burst out in tears, dropping to her knees. "I just get angry and I.. I hurt people!"  
  
The susuwatari looked up at her with huge eyes and they busied themselves keeping her bare legs warm. She smiled, laughing as they tickled her skin.  
  
The boiler man looked down on her. "Well, child, I suspect that you are a true fire spirit, stuck in a human-like form. Much like Haku is stuck in human form, though he is the Kalaku River spirit. Soon you will adapt. But for now I suggest you leave here since Haku now knows you abode here. I need not the trouble, you know."  
  
"I understand completely, Kamajii. I shall be leaving immediately for my execution, or something like it. Hope to see you there, old friend."  
  
She threw the last of her kompeitou to the soot and gave the spider-spirit one last hug before slipping back on her tennis shoes and leaving as loudly as she came, the slam echoing behind her. She opted not to go back the way she came; her enemies would quickly be coming for her capture. Instead she leaped onto a pipe above her, holding onto it tightly as she shimmied across. The mold covered her hands and her grip loosened.  
  
When she was almost across, she came along a most particularly damp and moldy section of pipe and her hands could no longer hold on. She looked up, searching for a way to get up, but no savior came to her and she fell, plummeting down to the rocky railroad tracks.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N: Ah-ha. I finally found a good way to end this chapter. Been trying to find a way and I got to this point and I was all "Whoa. Cliffhanger-y!" Weee! So, there's chapter 2. Enjoy 'n' stuff. Read 'n' review. Love 'n' peace, baby! "^^v 


	3. Hurt

Reaching Out  
  
Author: AleuFireGoddess  
  
Summary: Chihiro returns to the spirit bathhouse after 5 years. The only thing she wants is to see her friends again, especially Haku. But some serious changes have been underway since her departure, at the bathhouse and with herself, and things aren't as they were. How will she reach out to the people she loves and get things back to normal? Rated PG-13 for adult language and possibly some adult content as well. Just being careful! No flaming because I am FLAME RETARDANT!! ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or the characters involved nor do I intend to make money off of this story. So don't sue us, cuz we da po' folk!  
  
Chapter: 3 Hurt  
  
When she was almost across, she came along a most particularly damp and moldy section of pipe and her hands could no longer hold on. She looked up, searching for a way to get up, but no savior came to her and she fell, plummeting down to the rocky railroad tracks.  
  
Her eyes filled with tears as she felt the ground nearing. Unlike what she heard in stories, her life didn't flash before her eyes. Just Haku. It felt strange to think she would never talk to him face to face, and she closed her eyes. "Sayonara.."  
  
She waited, but nothing happened. It was a long fall, but not that long. A soaring sensation came over her, like when she came with Haku from Zeniiba's home. Haku!  
  
Honey eyes slowly opened. Maybe she was already dead? No, she felt softness beneath her, like fur. Fur? Her eyes were now completely open and she found herself on the back of a great dragon. The Kalaku River dragon. "Haku?" she asked timidly.  
  
The dragon growled angrily, which she took as a yes, and she sighed. "Why don't you remember?!" she shouted angrily. Jade eyes looked at her with a sneer and he swerved. "Okay, no more questions or I get bucked. Pleasant," she thought morbidly.  
  
From there they rode on silently to his chambers where she was dropped rudely 12 feet above ground. She rubbed her head and combed her wind-blown hair with her fingers. Feeling rather askew, she gazed around at the newly revised chamber.  
  
It was bleak with absolutely no color and a lack of perspective. She truly was glad she didn't live here. Unfortunately, a fun game of 'look-at-the- drab-décor' (note the sarcasm?) put a little less of her attention on the guards. She was quickly roped up without any way to escape.  
  
From the shadows, a completely changed back Haku emerged. "Well, well, well. Here's the imposter we've been looking for. How, in all of God's good name, did you find out about this place? Or of Lady Chihiro for that matter?"  
  
She frowned. "Because I AM Chihiro. Chihiro Ogino.. I came here 5 years ago? I can't believe you forgot!"  
  
"I could never forget my Chihiro!" He slapped her across the face, bringing stinging (I love alliterations! XP) tears to her eyes. "How dare you suggest such a thing? Hmph!"  
  
He stepped away to talk to a tall spirit wearing a black hood (sound like any executioners you know of? Mine is currently U.R.Dead. ^.~). It looked suspiciously like No-Face, and she frowned again. "What is with you people?!" she thought angrily.  
  
Haku returned. "No-Fa-- the executioner wishes to have you burned at the stake and I give my consent. You are to be sent directly with Rin at midnight for execution, imposter!" He slapped her once more and walked away, leaving her sobbing with only the guards and a now very large Bou as company.  
  
"But.. I loved you, Haku. How could you not trust me?" she said aloud. Bou looked at her sadly, but said nothing nor made any means to help her.  
  
*~Several Hours Later~*  
  
Chihiro had tried diligently to escape, wriggling in every direction to loosen the ropes. But all her attempts succeeded at were causing the ropes to dig into her arms and wrists. She was sore and her eyes were dry from crying, as was her throat.  
  
For 3 hours now the normal jubilee of noise emerged from the bathes below. Calls for food, herbal water, and a clean bath were never-ending and she was so tired it was becoming hard to decipher one from another.  
  
One blurred into another and she almost didn't hear the footsteps approaching. A brown-haired girl entered. "Rin? Is that you?" Chihiro squeaked out. "Shut-up, you dope!" Rin said, smiling. She winked, and then her serious face returned. "Gomen nasai, Sen. But I must."  
  
She took Chihiro down from her bindings and the blood dripped down pale fingers. She winced as she moved to the elevator, and she leaned against the painted wood, panting. Her eyes looked firey in the light, almost demonic and her expression cold.  
  
She finally reached the outside, passing by the crowds which shunned her name. She glared at them, the fire burning in her eyes. She didn't take curses to her name lightly.  
  
Haku glared at her, but a smirk crossed his face. He was really going to enjoy this. And this angered her. She had loved him and this is what she got? Wonderful.  
  
Again she was tied, this time more loosely and to a large stake. She couldn't believe it; they were actually going to burn her. No one would do anything. She smelled a gas, which was very pungent, and heard the roar of a fire, most likely on a torch.  
  
It was odd, what happened next. Her eyes were downcast awaiting her fate, and the torch loomed behind her. Haku watched her, and the light angled off her hair, showing it's true sheen; a nice shade of cedar brown. Her eyes lacked any light and showed as pure brown as tree bark (nice to have your eyes compared to tree bark, ne?)  
  
He blinked. "Chi-chihiro?" he said quietly. The light had reflected upon her so perfectly, like taking 5 years away from her life. It was her! "No! Stop the execution!" he screamed at No-Face. But it was too late. He dropped the burning torch and the fire burst around her.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N: Righty-o then. Jolly good pip, don't you think? That took a little bit of thought and I am quite proud of it really. Chapter 4 up soon, hopefully. Just gotta think of a good plot past what I already have bubbling in my brain. Hrm.. . Well, I'm going for a nice crumpet over tea with Kamajii so.. love and peace! ^^v 


	4. Sorry

Reaching Out  
  
Author: AleuFireGoddess  
  
Summary: Chihiro returns to the spirit bathhouse after 5 years. The only thing she wants is to see her friends again, especially Haku. But some serious changes have been underway since her departure, at the bathhouse and with herself, and things aren't as they were. How will she reach out to the people she loves and get things back to normal? Rated PG-13 for adult language and possibly some adult content as well. Just being careful! No flaming because I am FLAME RETARDANT!! ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or the characters involved nor do I intend to make money off of this story. So don't sue us, cuz we da po' folk!  
  
Chapter: 4 Sorry  
  
He blinked. "Chi-chihiro?" he said quietly. The light had reflected upon her so perfectly, like taking 5 years away from her life. It was her! "No! Stop the execution!" he screamed at No-Face. But it was too late. He dropped the burning torch and the fire burst around her.  
  
The fire burned unusually high, engulfing her quickly. Though the heat was too much for No-Face to bear, not much was heard from the firey depths. Nothing..but squeals of joy?  
  
A crack was heard and the fire grew larger, pushing the crowds away. Haku cried into the robes of Rin, not even daring to look. "It's the worst, isn't it Rin?"  
  
Rin was silent, and Haku quivered. But despite her silence, it wasn't fear that bound her to silence but awe. The fire had aroused the deepest power in Chihiro, and she rose from the fire as an unscathed fire-dragon. Her red fur shimmered and her black mane coursed over her muzzle. She had honey eyes, more gold than the purest honey made on the planet. Her tail rose and doused the fire with a magnificent swoosh, and she rose above the ground, squirming with untamed power. Roaring, flames fell upon anything she looked at, leaving several aogaeru scorched. Knowing this she dared not look at Haku, and firey tears (that makes absolutely NO sense .) fells from her eyes.  
  
Enraged, several spirits and some large aogaeru grabbed some ropes, hoping to tie down this terrible threat. A particularly powerful wind spirit swept up to her and brought her crashing down in front of Haku. "Shall we cut her throat?" the wind spirit asked.  
  
He spoke however to a shadowed face and covered ears. Haku had been listening to none of the commotion, going back into the recesses of his mind. "No.. Chihiro, my Chihiro.. I am sorry," the new ruler sobbed.  
  
Rin crouched by him. "Master Haku? Mistress Sen is still living.." She whispered into his ear. He looked up happily, but to his distress he found only an enraged fire spirit.  
  
"No dragon shall enter my domain!" he growled, already in his dragon form. He loomed over the firey beast, teeth bared to kill. She snapped her jaws, nipping his throat.  
  
"Will you fight me, Haku?" Chihiro's voice asked. This enraged the Kalaku River spirit and he roared, biting her neck. "Where is the human Chihiro, fire beast? What have you done to her?!"  
  
At that moment, she decided. She would no longer be Chihiro to these people. She would be Sen. Only Sen. "Chihiro is no more! She is dead to you all now! I am Sen, Mistress of a Thousand Fires. And I am not..your..CHIHIRO!"  
  
She roared, snapping her jaws angrily. It barely seemed her at all, but her darker side, like something she couldn't control. She rose a might paw, her claws gleaming underneath the moon. In a final swoop, she hit the river spirit, knocking the silvery creature into a wall.  
  
When she crept up on him, prepared for his next attack, she found him in his human form, barely able to move. Honey eyes looked down from the great dragon with fear. Was he dead? Could she have killed her own love? She knelt down, nudging the body with a soft snout. "..Haku?" she asked quietly.  
  
Jade eyes looked up, filled with betrayal. "Chihi-- Sen.. But I though you.. I didn't mean to.." The boy dared not try and fully communicate, lest he be killed. Weak hands reached up to touch her muzzle, and he cried himself to exhaustion.  
  
She looked over to all the people (actually the yuna and aogaeru) who stared back with scared expressions. They dared not care for Haku, because they feared she would kill them all. "I am. sorry," she whispered.  
  
Suddenly, an overwhelming tiredness overtook her body and she returned to her normal form. On her hands and knees, she whimpered quietly, trying to stay awake as she crawled towards the Haku. "I must.. Help him," her weak voice called out. But darkness over took her, and she blacked out into the arms of Haku.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N: Little too much excitement for this girl. Whew! You can thank my muse Alucard for this devious little installment. He's a little bit easily excited, and he likes action. A little corny, doesn't make a lot of sense but, hey, I do what I can.  
  
Okay, a little note on the whole "Sen, Mistress of a Thousand Fires" thing. I really should have explained this before. If you didn't already know, Chihiro means "a thousand leagues" and Sen is part of the kenji in Chihiro. It means "thousand." So.. Now you know, ne? Plus, it just kinda rolls off the tongue, I think.  
  
And for reviewers:  
  
Eternity's Angel of Mercy: Thank you! "Haku Fantasy Moments" are brought to you by: "Haku; 100% Sexy 100% of the Time!" ^^  
  
Kalyana: Arigatou. Yep, this little bit is part my muse Alucard, part "Haku Fantasy Moment," part watching too much CRAP aka drama on TV. .o Heh, yeah, it wasn't too much of a 'yaay-this-was-fun-lets-do-it-again' chapter. Neither is chapter 4. But when I post 5, it's have a little bit of glee to it. XP *laughs* ..glee..  
  
AraelMoonchild: Thanks! Cliffhangers are my cheat way of making people want to read, even if the rest of the story sucks. They just wanna know! XP Seriously though, thank you. I was wondering if it was a cliffhanger or just a crappy way to end a chappy. The positive response gave me something to smile about. ^^  
  
Chrissy: Ya know, I was thinking about that whole 'Kalaku' thing, so I used the almighty CLOSED CAPTIONS! ^.^ I guess when Studio Ghibli and Disney got together, Kalaku was how they did it in captions. But they can't always be right, ne? Thanks anyway! And thanks for the compliment. First SA fic and I was worried.  
  
*Whew! This A/N was really long. And the story is really pretty short, so it helped. O.o XD* 


	5. Awakened

Reaching Out  
  
Author: AleuFireGoddess  
  
Summary: Chihiro returns to the spirit bathhouse after 5 years. The only thing she wants is to see her friends again, especially Haku. But some serious changes have been underway since her departure, at the bathhouse and with herself, and things aren't as they were. How will she reach out to the people she loves and get things back to normal? Rated PG-13 for adult language and possibly some adult content as well. Just being careful! No flaming because I am FLAME RETARDANT!! ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or the characters involved nor do I intend to make money off of this story. So don't sue us, cuz we da po' folk!  
  
Chapter: 5 Awakened  
  
Suddenly, an overwhelming tiredness overtook her body and she returned to her normal form. On her hands and knees, she whimpered quietly, trying to stay awake as she crawled towards the Haku. "I must.. Help him," her weak voice called out. But darkness over took her, and she blacked out into the arms of Haku.  
  
It was several days later before she could stay conscious for more than 5 minutes. She faded in and out of reality, but all she could dream about was Haku.  
  
She got what she had came for; his eyes were vivid in her mind now. But they were that only of fear and betrayal. She had tried to kill him, and he was afraid of her. In all her dreams he ran from her, no matter what she did.  
  
Now she was awakened from her uneasy sleep, brought to consciousness by a terrible nightmare. "Haku!" she said aloud. And then she remembered exactly what had happened.  
  
*flashback* She roared, snapping her jaws angrily. It barely seemed her at all, but her darker side, like something she couldn't control. She rose a might paw, her claws gleaming underneath the moon. In a final swoop, she hit the river spirit, knocking the silvery creature into a wall. *end*  
  
Her eyes filled with tears and she looked around wildly. Luckily, someone had heard her and they stepped into the room quickly. By then she was sobbing. It was Miken.  
  
"Miss? Miss! You need to calm down. Master Haku has been awake for quite some time. He has been waiting for you to awaken. There is a banquet ready for your return." The frog was polite, and handed her a glass of water. "Please, don't cry. We can get you all fixed up--"  
  
He had stopped. The looked on her face showed pure desperation and fear. "How am I going to face him, Miken? I nearly killed him! Killed! How can I go up an say, 'Oh, hi. Having a nice time?'" she asked, her voice scattered with skepticism.  
  
Miken looked at her, his mouth moving but no words were coming out. He just shook his head and left, down towards the banquet, she presumed. She cried some more, wondering if she would ever be able to even talk to him again.  
  
Silence engulfed her for hours. All she heard was the normal noise produced from the bathes below. Her head was tucked between her knees as she sat alone in the dark bedroom. She went into a sort of blissful emptiness, and she lost all knowledge of reality.  
  
*** She finally got up, getting enough courage to finally speak to Haku. She found that a beautiful kimono just her size was waiting on the chair next to her bed. A magnificent black dragon emblazoned with a golden edge twisted around the red silk of the traditional dress.  
  
She smiled. "This must be some of Rin's work." It slipped onto her wonderfully, and she made her way to a mirrored desk where she found makeup, all just the right shades to feature her face. It was perfect.. Almost too perfect. But she thought little of it as she applied the makeup and did her hair, finishing off with a rose-scented perfume.  
  
Making her way down to the banquet through many elevators, she finally arrived. Everyone applauded like nothing had happened and they all welcomed her graciously. She politely thanked everyone for their kindness, but the whole time her eyes searched for Haku.  
  
At last she saw him from behind, his hair among the most noticeable features of his body. She ran up to him and silently tapped his arm in hopes to get his attention. He responded only with silence, but she took this without any offense. She had tried to kill him, had she not?  
  
"Master Haku.. I only wish to tell you that I am sorry for all that I did to you. I didn't mean it at all. I just couldn't.. control myself," she finished quietly. "And I, uh, wish only for you forgiveness."  
  
"Forgiveness? Forgiveness?! How could I for all the things you did to me?!" He turned to face her, a stitched scar making it's way down his face and his nose mangled. It looked as if he hadn't had his wounds tended to hardly at all.  
  
He turned momentarily to grab something and came back with a sharpened katana. "It's been waiting for you!" He plunged the katana into the stomach several times, pushing her down to the ground. "Die, Chihiro! I HATE you!" ***  
  
She awoke, dripping in sweat. "What a terrible nightmare," she whispered, voice shaking. "Now that I have fully awakened, what am I going to do?"  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N: Well, ta-da. That was my little weird way of avoiding making anything bad happen for a while. Oh yeah, Kalyana. You can kill me later; this chapter had ABSOLUTELY no glee whatsoever. At all. Nada. Sorry. But the next one will be good, I promise. She'll finally confront Haku without some type of violence. *gasp* Love and peace! ^^v 


End file.
